I arise and face East,
I am asking towards the Sea,
I am asking that my day be washed clean by the Sea,
I am asking for the Grace to go forward through the drought,
I am asking towards the Sea.
I turn and face South,
I am asking towards the Light,
I am asking that my day be made beautiful by the Light,
I am asking for the Courage to go forward through the dark,
I am asking towards the Light.
I turn and face West,
I am asking towards the Land,
I am asking that my day be supported by the Land,
I am asking for the Stability to go forward through the chaos,
I am asking towards the Land.
I turn and face North,
I am asking towards the Wind,
I am asking that my day be filled by the Wind,
I am asking for the Wisdom to go forward through the silence,
I am asking towards the Wind.
© 1996 by PhoenixElaine
This form is derived from a prayer by Mary Austin, as printed in the book Earth Prayers From Around the World: 365 Prayers, Poems, and Invocations for Honoring the Earth, edited by Elizabeth Roberts and Elias Amidon, ISBN 0-06-250746-X.
This daily prayer reinforces the garden spaces described in the guided meditation. The parallelism and repetitiveness help me (of the feeble memory) to remember it all. The garden spaces provide me a setting in which I visualize each request be granted.
She hands me grace when she hands me the cup of water to drink from. He fills me with courage every time my heart-from-the-flaming-pillar beats. She supports me when I stand on the solid ground or sit in the house. He fills me with wisdom and direction with every breath I take on the windy mountain top.